updated 03:16 am EST, Fri December 21, 2012

Apple closes iTunes Connect for holiday: deals, debuts locked in

As happens every year, Apple has closed its iTunes Connect administrative site for iOS developers from today until next Friday, December 28. In an email to developers, Apple notes that no price changes, app launches, in-app purchase changes or app updates will migrate to the App Store until iTunes Connect reopens. The good news for users is that any sale prices currently in effect on apps are "locked in" until the 28th. A number of apps have gone on sale recently, and there has been a plethora of app updates in recent days as developers rush to get end-of-year improvements posted.

Latest iMac models are not VESA-compatible, third-party options only

Despite the fact that the latest iMacs are very significantly lighter than their predecessors, changes in the design of the machine has caused Apple to exclude the latest iMac models from VESA compatibility, meaning the stand cannot be removed so that the unit can be mounted on a wall or other surface. Apple's previous iMac models (and 27-inch Thunderbolt Display) have featured the compatibility, but Apple's VESA mount adapter kit on the Apple online store specifically excludes the 2012 iMacs from the compatibility list. Third parties are offering workarounds that attach to the stand, and while this may work for some uses, it basically eliminates wall-mounted iMacs.

Game classic Karateka returns, now available on iOS

The original fighter-quest classic for the Apple II, Karateka, has returned to Apple platforms with a port of the recently-released HD console version to iOS. The game, costing $3, features all-new graphics but follows the familiar storyline of a fighter overcoming a series of obstacles in order to rescue a princess from an evil warlord.

Karateka was originally written by Jordan Mechner (Prince of Persia) in his Yale dorm room and released in 1984, becoming one of the first computer games to make use of rotoscoping and cinematic "cutscenes." The game now features art by Jeff Matsuda and a soundtrack by Civilization IV's Christoper Tin. Players can choose one of three characters to play, each with differing abilities. It requires the iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, or the fifth-generation iPod Touch.